By Molly Sheridan, Paige Barta and Leela Hornbach
Romanticism
Introduction
Romanticism emphasizes emotion and individualism, while it also glorifies nature in the past. In this context the word nature refers to all biological systems excluding those with any human caused modification. For romanticists, nature also entails all thought that separates human engineered processes form natural ones. Romanticists place precedence on human creativity over science. Their views often depict natural surroundings as beauty and truth with a sense of divine, almost god-like quality. Romanticism works to evolve emotions such as apprehension and terror in respect to the natural world associating the fearsome and wonderful aspects of nature to that of God. It can be considered an umbrella term for gothicism, subliminality, sentimentality, and nostalgia in relation to nature. Romanticism contrasts with rationalism and classicism, and is a basic revival of medievalism. This movement came about during the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and glorifies the simplicity of the past before the manifestation of urban sprawl which romanticists believe instilled a falsified sense of progress. Romanticism stems from anti-scientific notions of heroic individualism, transcendentalism and anti-realism. In relation to the environment and environmental scholarship romanticism emphasizes emotions developed from time spent in nature and how these emotions impact creative processes which take a precedence over scientific development.
Context
Romanticism first emerged as a response to the rationalization and order of the Enlightenment movement in the wake of the French Revolution of 1789. It was a revolution conceived by literary and studio artists alike to break from rationalism and orderly discourse of the 18th century. romanticism was shaped largely by the artists trained in Jaques Louis David’s studio where artists such as Dominique Ingres refined their individualist style. Igres’ piece, Apotheosis of Homer and Eugènes’ Delacroix’s Death of Sardanapalus both painted in Paris in the mid 1800s are considered quintessential expressions of romanticisms disorderly blurring of stylistic creativity. Kathryn Galitz in her critique of the romanticism manifestation defines both works drawing from “the Davidian tradition but each ultimately subverts the model, asserting the originality of the artist—a central notion of Romanticism” (Galitz, 2000). Individuality became paramount in the romanticism era as a romanticists’ beliefs revolve around the appreciation of beauty, an inherently subjective, introspective and self-reflective lens.
With the romanticists rejection of rational order, of science, and of development came a fixation on simplicity. Therefore, simplicity and beauty paired well as representations in literature and art of nature or wild, along with what was awe inspiring. Galitz labels nature in romantic art as representing, “uncontrollable power, unpredictability, and potential for cataclysmic extremes”, which offer alternative to the ordered world of Enlightenment thought (Galitz, 2000). In French and British paintings from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries such as Théodore Gericault’s piece Raft of the Medusa and J. M. W. Turner’s 1812 depiction of Hannibal and his army crossing the Alps both became classic representations of nature’s raw uncontrollable power as portrayed through landscape. John Constable in 1824 wrote about one of his pieces saying that art was “nothing but one state of mind—that which you were in at the time” (Constable, 1824). Later, as Constable’s work was presented in Paris, his work embraced as “nature itself.” His work became an example of romanticism’s ideal subjectivity in views and individual accord.
François-Marie Arouet or Volitare was one of the first prominent romanticists writers, butJean-Jacques Rousseau, in the 19th century became one of the first who considered the “human state of nature” and privatization of property. New Heloise, Rousseau’s first book, allocates the “beauties of nature and the simple life as opposed to the corrupt and artificial life in the cities” (Ergang 1954, 640). His literature reasoned that oppression was a result of modern civilization and privatization of property, which a return to nature and a natural state of humanity, uncorrupted by modern greed would eradicate inequality. Robert Ergang in his book, Europe From the Renaissance to Waterloo, praised Rousseau as “the most powerful regenerative force of the late eighteenth century, and of the nineteenth–one which turned the thought of Europe into new channels. There are few men in the history of modern times who have influenced the mind of the world as profoundly as did Rousseau” (Ergang 1954, 643). Over time there has been dwindling advocacy for romanticism since the industrial revolution.
Romanticists rejected didacticism in Neoclassical. They often came in direct opposition of contemporary thinkers and modernism, which is why it’s ideals have more or less fallen out of style although theories of apocalypticism remain relevant as the impending loss of the wild approaches with each revolution in contemporary science according to these two methods of thought. In the 19th century romanticism closely related as an adjunct to Orientalist art, as both simulated discourse on preservation of the past. Romanticism encapsulates a set of beliefs and values while the resulting artwork and literature represent forms of escapism; “In its stylistic diversity and range of subjects, romanticism defies simple categorization”(Constable 1824).
The Industrial Revolution, characterized by its substitution of animal and human labour for more technologically advanced machinery contrasted with romanticists opposition of science. These advancements were met with little opposition by the greater population, as the working lower and middle class were allowed to drastically raise their socioeconomic status during this time period. Moreover, “The Industrial Revolution and modern technology are, inherently connected with the development of the instrumental rationality of the scientia universalis” (De Mul 1999, 16). Therefore, with the spread of rationality and modern science, the method through which many individuals were being benefited, romanticism gradually was discretized and replaced by contemporary thought.
Critique
Around the period of the Enlightenment, the movement of romanticism became more commonly circulated throughout the population. This way of thinking carefully governs the ways in which people interact with the environment around them. The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism states, “Instead of providing the unquestioned ontological foundation for infinite development, nature was now seen as threatened in its very substance by human reason” (Schneider 2008, 93). The trouble with romanticism is that, when powerful enough, it can impede progress of any kind, positive and negative. The replacement of science and rationality with creativity and transcendentalism can contribute to a falsified sense of perfection and sacredness surrounding nature. The notion that nature is inherently perfect in its natural state is within itself debatable. Although nature’s value varies between people, not every kind of progress is destructive. Technological progression can often have a negative connotation in the world of environmentalism due to advances that contribute to mass land use, habitat destruction, pollution, and biodiversity loss. However, technological advances also include innovations like renewable energy production. The notion of romanticism indicates a desire to digress from progress, which is not always the smartest option.
Romanticism supports the idea of wildness, which portrays nature as an entirely different world with an almost god-like complex completely untouchable by humans. Environmental historian and professor of Environmental Studies William Cronon published a commonly cited essay calling upon environmentalists to shift their opinions of nature and wildness. To Cronon, the preservation of the sacredness of nature is a final grasp at anti-humanism by those who are shameful of human destruction of the wilderness. The construct of a perfect wilderness is a social one, and people often use nature or the wilderness as a shining example of what the world should be like. Cronon explains, “we mistake ourselves when we suppose that wilderness can be the solution to our culture’s problematic relationships with the nonhuman world, for wilderness is itself no small part of the problem” (Cronon 1996, 70). Though much of the wilderness remains unmanipulated by humans, the notion of what is considered the personal wilderness is of social construct. This standard has been passed on for generations until we have learned to reject what is unnatural when it does not resemble what we believe that nature should be. The issue with the inherent relationship between romanticism and wildness is that romanticism encourages this blatant rejection of what is unnatural due to a social construct of what the pristine and untouched world should look like.
A major scholarly criticism of romanticism revolves around the notion of an anthropocene, a historical epoch molded and shaped by human influence. Romanticists often discredit the idea of an anthropocene, as they believe that nature had god-like powers and rules over all, even humans. To state the there may be an entirely new epoch being shaped by humans is to claim that humans have learned how to dominate many natural earth processes and even change them. Though widely accepted, this is controversial amongst romanticists who strive to return to the ways of nature before human influence left its mark. To suggest the beginning of a new epoch is to suggest that such a feat is impossible.
Whether or not an environmentalist will become a romanticist is related to cultural upbringing. All environmentalists have some sort of connection to the environment, but not always to nature. A person’s relationship with nature is extremely relevant to their romanticist or anti-romanticist thoughts. The spread of romanticism can also be related to the over-reliance on science that some romanticists would believe did not completely justify nature’s power and beauty. “Romanticism appears to correct the course that European intellectual history had followed since the relentless secularization and rationalization in the Renaissance” (Schneider 2008, 96) This quote expresses the attitude toward attempts to describe everything in the world using science. Romanticism makes sense for people who have strong and personal ties to nature, as scientific evidence and explanations cannot always account for experiences with the wilderness.
Conclusion
Romanticism’s relationship to the environment is deeply rooted in one’s emotional connection to a nature seen as sublime. Originating in the 18th century in Europe following The Enlightenment, this period is characterized with art, literature and music depicting nature’s profound beauty. Romanticism celebrates the purity and perfection of nature in the past and instills nostalgia for the primitivity of nature the way it once was. Nature was seen as a god-like entity, both loved and feared, fierce yet gentle. Romanticists believe that science cannot explain the emotional connection derived from personal experiences in nature which can influence their own self discovery. While the history of romanticism differs with the present day meaning of the word the foundation of the movement is essentially the same. Romanticists even now rely on their individual connections with their surroundings in what they believe to be a unexplainable sort of way. Gus diZerega simplifies the modern romanticist ideals by saying that romanticists “often have a great distrust in what is ‘unnatural’, being focused instead on experience” (diZerega 2013). The anti-rationalist ideals associated with romanticists put them in direct contrast with contemporary thinkers and modernistic tendencies.
While romanticism contributed greatly to the literary and artistic works of the 18th century, its decline in popularity following the Industrial Revolution has proven to aid the presence of technology and science incorporated in environmental research. Romanticism lends itself to a blindness regarding the current climate change issues and possible solutions that can be obtained through science and technological advancement. Technology that reduces dependency on fossil fuels and nonrenewable energy sources is essential for sustainability. For this reason, it is crucial that environmentalists and environmental scholars stray from any sort of romantic ideals regarding the current state of the world and focus on the ways in which science and technology can be used to preserve a more pristine idea of what’s natural. The obsession with returning the natural world to the way it once was is irrational at such a point in time where humans have so drastically impacted ecosystems, biodiversity, air quality and sea levels. Romanticism impedes technological progress which essential to preserving our home. Technological advancement is the only logical option due to how deeply intertwined humans and their influence on their surroundings.
“People are experiencing the significant impacts of climate change, which include changing weather patterns, rising sea level, and more extreme weather events. The greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are driving climate change and continue to rise. They are now at their highest levels in history. Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is projected to rise over the 21st century and is likely to surpass 3 degrees Celsius this century- with some areas of the world expected to warm even more. The poorest and most vulnerable people are being affected the most.” (United Nations, 2015)
Instead of pursuing the futile endeavor of attempting to return to the past, environmentalists, environmental scholars, students and policy makers should focus on using science and technology to assist in the development of sustainable biospheric systems. The creation of technology to aid in decreasing humanity’s dependence on nonrenewable resources ultimately strives for a more healthy and inhabitable world. In 2015 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change drafted a global treaty to slow the rise of CO2 in order to contain the rise of global temperatures. Changes in climate have drastically affected national economies and are proving threatening to coastal communities. Environmental refugees will increase in number in coming years unless action is taken. Romanticism’s “distrust in the ‘unnatural’” (diZerega,2013) objects to the use of science and technology. We are at a point where technological advancement is the only logical way to combat climate change wherein the romanticist approach is too naïve and passive to be effective.
Citations
Galitz, Kathryn Calley. 2000. “Romanticism.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/roma/hd_roma.htm (October 2004)
Ergang, Robert. 1954 with revised bibliography; originally published in 1954. Europe From the Renaissance to Waterloo. Boston: D. C. Heath and Company.
Schneider, Helmut J. “Nature.” Chapter. In The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism: edited by Marshall Brown, 5:92–114. The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism. Cambridge, 2000: Cambridge University Press.
Cronon, William. “The Trouble with Wilderness: Or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature,” Environmental History,1:69-71. Oxford, 1996: Oxford University Press. https://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/rm240/cronin.pdf
Wikipedia contributors, “Transcendentalism,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transcendentalism&oldid=770444597
diZerega, Gus. “Romanticism and the environment”. Belief Net. http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/apagansblog/2006/12/stewart-brand-ii-romantic-environmentalism.html
UNFCCC. “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change”. Report No. FCCC/INFORMAL/84, https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf (UNFCCC, 1992)
United Nations. “Climate Change Affects Everyone.” United Nations. Accessed March 20, 2017. http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/climatechange/.
De Mul, Jos. Romantic Desire in (Post)modern Art and Philosophy. Albany, 1999: State University of New York Press.